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Published on: June 6, 2018
Development of secondary standards for 223Ra.
Denis E Bergeron1, Brian E Zimmerman, Jeffrey T Cessna
1Physics Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA. denis.bergeron@nist.gov
Summary
Radium-223 (Ra-223) calibration factors in clinical settings overestimate activity. This study determined specific calibration factors for dose vials and syringes to improve accuracy in radiopharmaceutical measurements.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear medicine
- Radiopharmaceutical therapy
- Metrology
Background:
- Radium-223 (Ra-223) is a bone-seeking alpha emitter used in radiopharmaceuticals.
- Current clinical radionuclide calibrators show higher readings than NIST-calibrated activity for Ra-223.
- Existing calibration factors may lead to inaccurate activity measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine specific calibration factors for dose vials and syringes used with Ra-223.
- To assess the accuracy of Ra-223 activity measurements using current and derived calibration factors.
Main Methods:
- NIST established primary standardization for Ra-223.
- Calibration factors were determined for standard ampoules, dose vials, and syringes.
- Comparison of activity readings using different calibration factors.
Main Results:
- Clinical radionuclide calibrators overestimate Ra-223 activity by 5.7-8.7% compared to NIST calibration.
- Using calibration factors derived from standard ampoules for syringe measurements can lead to readings up to 3.6% too high.
Conclusions:
- Specific calibration factors are needed for accurate Ra-223 activity measurements in clinical settings.
- Current methods may overestimate Ra-223 dosage, impacting therapeutic efficacy.
- Further refinement of calibration procedures is recommended for radiopharmaceutical metrology.
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